Winter Photography Tips: Focus on Architecture (Inside and Out)

While trees that are full of leaves are quite attractive, they can block the view of many homes and buildings. As the cold weather sets in and deciduous trees lose their leaves, buildings typically blocked by foliage can be seen in their entirety. Use this time to capture views of buildings otherwise unobtainable when greenery dominates the frame.

Be sure to take advantage of winter breaks and other periods of desolation to avoid distracting elements in your architecture photos. The shot at the top of this post was taken at a local university during the school's winter break. Otherwise, cars and pedestrians would likely been in the frame when photographing the massive library. The shot below was taken on a Sunday morning when all the pictured and surrounding businesses were closed.

If snow is blanketing the ground, then buildings (or various man-made structures) can provide an excellent subject for your imagery. Snow can make rather mundane, uninspiring places look interesting. Take full advantage of freshly fallen snow by setting out early before the blank canvas has been disturbed by those having snowball fights or making snowmen.

And if the frigid conditions make outdoor photography less ideal for you, try photographing architectural interiors in the comfort of climate control. Personally, I like photographing interiors just after sunset so that the cool ambient light outside the windows is prominent.

Wide angle, ultra-wide angle and tilt-shift lenses will be your best bets when photographing architecture. All of the shots in this post (aside from the panorama) were taken with the Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L Tilt-Shift lens and a B+W circular polarizer. The panorama was captured using the Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 IF ED UMC lens and my 360-degree panoramic setup.

In short, use the winter months to get a fresh, clean look at architecture – inside and out!